NO REASON TO TALK ABOUT IT: Families Confront the Nuclear Taboo

The threat of nuclear war and its effect on the family, especially children, researched by two psychotherapists who did in-depth interviews with 25 families and have come up with information and feelings previously repressed. Also, they offer some suggestions for dealing with children's anxieties, fears and even their silence. Guided by the work of earlier researchers and using Eric Erikson as a mentor, the writers have revealed for the first time the extent to which the fear of nuclear winter affects the lives of even the young child. Feelings of isolation and helplessness exist not only in children, but in their parents and grandparents as well. What responsibilities do adults have and what should they do to help? Denial, repression and numbness are not the answers to this question, according to the therapists. Even when parents cannot guarantee safety from destruction, they can do many things to reassure their children. For some children, the awareness that their concern is shared by the entire family is enough. Apparently, even those children who are anxious about nuclear war may be better off than those who profess indifference or claim to be unperturbed; repression does not appear the healthiest course for young people, or for society at large. Most adults will be surprised at what these children and presumably many others are thinking about. As a matter of fact, adults usually do not want to think about or discuss nuclear war themselves. However, this book encourages discussion and openness as an antidote to apathy and passive acceptance. As always, hope, faith and honesty remain salubrious tickets to a better world.